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AU football team abandon game after racial slur is directed at player

The club is standing by the players’ decision


Last Saturday, Aberdeen University Football Club (AUFC) walked off the pitch during a match after a "racial slur" was used against one of its players by a rival team member.

The incident, which took place during an amateur league game between the AUFC 2nd team and Kincorth AFC, led to the game being abandoned after only 30 minutes.

The Aberdeenshire Amateur Football Association are currently investigating the matter, and are awaiting the referees report before it will consider if action will be taken.

Despite most of the players having heard the slur, the match referee claimed to have "missed" the incident.

In a statement on the AUFC Facebook page, the club said: "AUFC would like to inform our fans that on Saturday, 20th of April, our second team walked off the pitch and, subsequently, abandoned their league game against Kincorth A.F.C due to the use of an extremely offensive racial slur towards one of the University players.

The club added: "The AUFC committee was surprised to hear that despite almost every university player on the pitch hearing the abuse, the referee did not, therefore no actions were taken during the game.

"The club stands by the actions of the 2nd team, and we are taking necessary actions to assist the AAFA during the investigation. The club has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination in any form.

"We are deeply saddened by the events that took place on Saturday – racism has no place in society, let alone in a football match."

AAFA secretary Martin Smith has said: "We do not condone racism at all but will have to wait for the referee's report.

"There would be disciplinary sanctions for any club, player or other party found to have been racist."

Following the match, a spokesperson for AUSA said: "Aberdeen University Students' Association has zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any form and will take all the necessary actions to support the AUFC (Aberdeen University Football Club) in this matter."

Kincorth AFC has declined to make any comment at this time.